Const. Douglas A. Scott, RCMP – Our People, Our Heritage

Const. Douglas Scott

Was killed in the line of duty on Monday, November 5, 2007 in Kinnirut, Nunavut. Douglas Allen Scott was 20 years of age and the son of Douglas and Maria Scott of Lyn.

He was answering a drunk driving call in Kinnirut a community of about 400 people on Baffin Island. The call that he responded to came in around 10:50 pm He was last heard from at 11:02 pm when he called in to confirm he was following up on the complaint.

Residents said they were devastated by Scott’s murder and held an outdoor vigil Tuesday. The local school where the young mountie dropped in regularly to visit, closed its doors for the day. “You never saw Doug, but always you saw him with a bunch of young kids following him.” said Larry Collins principal of Qaqqalik School.

“Doug was just 20 years old, but already had demonstrated his commitment to the RCMP and to Canada and to the community he willingly served in Nunavut” said Sup. Martin Cheliak, RCMP Commander in the Northern Region.

The 20 year old Mountie grew up west of Lyn with dreams of becoming a police officer like his Uncles and cousins, going on ride alongs and volunteering with the Brockville Police Department. He scored so high on recruiting tests that he was offered an RCMP job one semester short of graduating from the Police Foundations Programme at St. Lawrence College, where his former professor, retired RCMP officer Michael Clarabut, described his former student as a “Shinning star”.

He was born on December 21, 1986 in Brockville to Douglas and Maria Scott. “Dougie” was raised in the Algonquin area before moving to Lyn. He attended Algonquin, Maynard and Lyn public schools, then graduated from Thousand Islands Secondary School before attending St.Lawrence College’s police foundations program at the Brockville Campus.

Recruited by the RCMP, he continued his education at the RCMP Training Academy in Regina, Saskatchewan. On April 23, 2007 Constable Scott proudly attained his lifelong goal to be a police officer, He was assigned to “V” division, where he worked in Iqaluit and finally Kimmirut.

While growing up, he worked for various families in the area, cutting grass and babysitting. Later he worked at Mrs. B’s Variety,  Zellers and Shell Canada. During the summer months he spent many evenings umpiring local softball games. He began his career in law enforcement as a summer student with the OPP Marine Unit.

His Primary interest was spending time with family, friends and his puppy Gauge. He kept in touch with regular telephone calls and e-mails. His other interests included lacrosse, fitness, volunteering, attending community events, playing cards and enjoying outdoor activities. Recently he spent time learning about the culture and landscape of Nunavut. He took part in community festivals, snowmobiling and four wheeling. Most importantly he met people of all ages.

Funeral

A sea of red and blue will descend on Brockville on Tuesday November 13, 2007. It is expected that there will be up to 3,500 police and RCMP officers alone.

“We’re expecting anywhere between 2,500 and 3,500 police officers” said Brockville’s Deputy Police Chief Adrian Geraghty. “It is a huge undertaking. They’re coming from all over North America”.

The service will be held at Wall Street United Church which has a capacity of 1,000 people, will be held only for Scott’s family and friends and police officers. Another nearby church, First Presbyterian Church will take the overflow of police officers mourners where they will be able to watch a live broadcast of the service.

“This is a Canadian tragedy”, said Leeds-Grenville Tory MP Gord Brown. “My heart goes out to the family, this really hits home. He’s only 20 years old. He’s just a kid, it’s such a tragic loss”.

At the funeral Canon Michael Read said that the senseless tragedy has touched lives in the community, RCMP and all Canadians. “We weep with you” he told Scott’s Family “We have lost a very special person , Our tears mix with yours and rightly so.. We are mourning with you Maria, Doug, Chad and Layne for Dougie and our tears flow”.

Doug Scott’s RCMP Stetson sat on his casket draped with a Canadian Flag at the front of the church next to an RCMP portrait of the young constable.

The formal police funeral ended with a song in Scott’s honour called “Hometown Hero” by Brockville band Healy and Orr.

Lyn Softball Park Dedicated to RCMP Constable Douglas Scott Jr.

Local residents, dignitaries, members of the RCMP and Canadian Army Veteran’s Motorcycle Club turned out to honour the late RCMP Constable Douglas Scott Jr. Together they dedicated a softball park and monument to him on Main Street, Lyn on Novebmer 5^th, 2010.

Know for his charm, personality and boyish good looks, Doug Scott was well loved in the community of Lyn where he had grown up. He both played and coached softball, giving heart and soul to the game. That same dedication and drive was also devoted to his short lived career as an RCMP Constable.

_{(Sources for this story were the Brockville Recorder and Times and The St. Lawrence EMC)}